Summer is upon us, at least unofficially, and the weather isn't the only thing making me sweat. I am keeping up with my squat challenge, even though pretty much every day I think about throwing in the towel.
Not because I can't complete the squats, life is just busy! Sometimes it feels like there is no time. It helps to multitask and to have a supportive mate:
Day 5- Goal 70 squats:
This was the first day I seriously considered quitting. The previous day had been a rest day, but I skated in two roller derby bouts. Upon reflection, I think I pushed myself a bit harder than I should have. Back and fully healed from last season's broken ankle I think I'm still trying to prove myself. Skating in two roller derby bouts back to back, a total of two hours, squatting the whole time and giving and taking hits. It's a lot on the body.
Around half-time of the second game I realized I was winded and not playing at my full potential. But I finished it out and decided right then and there to be kinder to myself in the future. Yes, secretly I was proud of myself that I could do it, but I also don't need to almost kill myself to prove anything to myself or anyone else.
The next day- Day 5 of the Squat Challenge- after closing down the bar with Mr. McKay and most of my teammates, running on six hours of sleep, I showered and headed off to a baseball game with my inlaws. It was a lot of walking, and a lot of sweating. At this point, I had consistently sweated so much the entire weekend, I wasn't sure I had anything left to sweat out.
Hours later we arrived back home. I showered, realized I should have applied more sunblock, fished the aloe out of the closet and declared I still had 70 squats to do. I looked to my husband, I expected him to tell me to take the night off. He'd been with me all weekend, he'd seen what I had done.
"Seventy?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"You got this!" he encouraged.
"I do?" I was not feeling his level of excitement. I was standing in the doorway of our spare room/office where he was hunkered down at his computer. Fresh from the shower, I'd thrown on an old t-shirt and a worn pair of panties as I towel dried my hair.
"Yeah, do them now," he said, his eyebrows raising up as he checked out my ensemble.
Now I understood, he probably did care about me meeting my goal, but this was more of a chance for him to watch me do some squats in my underwear. I should be outraged, right? I mean, I should at least call him a pig. But really, I couldn't fault him, and I didn't want to. We'll be married seven years and if he still likes looking at me in my underwear, even if they are all washed out and have a hole working along the elastic, why should I be pissed about that?
So I did the squats. I did all seventy, and there was some groping and giggling involved.
Day 6- Goal 75 squats:
Oh Monday, you always come up too quickly. I coaxed Mr. McKay into doing some living room yoga with me after we were both done with work for the day. I have to coax him into yoga because while it reinvigorates me and gives me energy, it makes him sore and makes him yell things at the TV where the innocent instructor leads us through the stretches.
Once we finished and he's grumbling and complaining, I tried to change the mood.
"Want to help me do my squats?" I aimed for a surprise treat, something to make him happier.
He one upped me. "Will you do them naked?"
I almost swayed, but I had a momentary vision of what a naked squat will look like and it seems too lewd for 7pm on a Monday. I feel my face flush and the cat takes that moment to poke through the living room curtains on her way out of the window. It's daylight still and we're in the living room. And god, we have neighbors, new ones who don't know how depraved we are!
"Just kidding," he backtracks. I think he can feel my uncertainty, but I can tell from his face that he wasn't kidding.
I compromise and slip my yoga pants off. More underwear squats. I did all 75, although some may have not been the correct form, it's hard to concentrate when someone keeps poking his fingers into your underwear.
Day 7- Goal 80 squats:
Up to this point, it's like we've had foreplay every day this week. It was bound to come to some sort of culmination.
I had every intention of getting my squats done earlier in the day. I had to go to roller derby practice, and knew I wouldn't want to be dealing with them after practice, squeezed in the short amount of time before bed.
After work, I declared I was going to get changed and get them out of the way. Mr. McKay trailed me to the bedroom. I assumed he wanted to watch again. It didn't bother me. I welcomed the company as I shucked my day job clothes and blathered on about my frustrating day. Something happened then, the squats were forgotten. There were hands and lips and we tumbled into bed like sex starved teens. To be honest, sex has been infrequent as of late. Health issues and life in general to blame. I really do think the weeks "sexercise" had served to set things in motion.
At first it was all a frenzied rush. And then we fell into a rhythm and set a slower pace, like a cold drink after a long hot day. We didn't move from the bed afterwards and I took a rare nap.
Those squats got done, after practice, before bed. In the kitchen as I was making a post practice meal. I ended up finishing them just when I hadn't wanted to... but sometimes you can have the best laid plans :)
Day 8- Rest Day:
I took this to heart. A rare weekday off from the day job, no scheduled practice, and a rest day from the challenge? I made an indent in the couch cushions and didn't rouse myself enough to get the laundry done until 8pm. It was a true rest day!
Day 9- Goal 100 squats:
A long work day and I really wanted nothing more than to go back to my rest day ways and lay on the couch. But I got those 100 squats done in sets of 25, mostly while talking to Mr. McKay in the kitchen while he cooked. Fully clothed this time, no shenanigans.
Day 10- Goal 105 squats:
Mr. McKay and I indulged in some pizza around 9pm after very busy days. I broke my squats up into some sets that I completed between bites of pizza, conversation, and watching 30 Rock (which is now streaming on Netflix!). I was tired and pretty sure I miscounted more than once, which means I did more than 105 squats because any time I think I miscount I just do five more.
Day 11- Goal 110 squats:
Ending out the week on much of the same note. I have a roller derby bout tonight, so I was stretching and chatting with Mr. McKay before we had lunch. I completed all my squats while we watched some youtube videos. Watching James Corden answer 73 questions for Vogue can make those squats fly by! Again, no shenanigans, but I need to focus for tonight :)
Summary:
A little bit of foreplay can make exercise more exciting. But even when there is no groping involved, it's nice to have a buddy and someone supporting your goals, no matter what those goals may be!
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